Course Description
One of the most challenging and frustrating issues that rehabilitation professionals confront is their patient’s loss of hand and arm function following an insult to the brain. Even with early rehabilitative intervention, a significant proportion of the neurological population will continue to have lasting sensorimotor impairments that if left unmanaged will continue to present further secondary impairments. In one estimate of persons with stroke, 55-75% will continue to have residual impairments (Wolfe, Winstein, Miller, Taub, Uswatte, Morris, et al, 2006). These include learned non-use or disuse, soft tissue changes, and pain syndromes.

This two day course will present evidence-based and practical solutions to a number of neuromotor and select sensory issues – both acute and chronic – that beset patients with neurologic conditions especially stroke. Evaluations and innovative approaches to commonly used interventions such as splinting, modalities and task-oriented training will be discussed with evidence and clinical reasoning throughout the course. Course participants will be provided with practical tools for implementation of interventions for managing the neurologically impaired hand and arm. Teaching strategies include: demonstration, lecture, workshops, case studies, and problem solving using slides and videos.

Course Objectives
Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:Describe and identify common complications, issues associated with neurological hand Analyze the neurologically impaired arm and hand using biomechanical and motor control approaches Describe selected measurements and tests specifically used for the hemiplegic UE State scientific, theoretical and evidence-based supports to interventions that address the various functional levels of the neurological upper extremity (task specific, e-stimulation, splinting) Identify selected therapy implications related to medical management of the hemiplegic UE Develop an intervention plan that addresses common issues associated with the neurological hand based on evidence and pragmatic clinical reasoning improving functional performance of the UE.